errata re: Solar and Lunar Eclipses

(johnb@uafphpl.uark.edu)
Fri, Feb 3 1995 22:28:13 GMT


One reason I don't post things on s.r.b very often is that I seem
to be incapable of writing more than a few words without making some
error. Then I have to track down everyone in the world who read it and
pass along corrections. I hate to spread wrong information; but, it's
happened again.

In revising the list of eclipse coincidences for posting here I
added a couple of inadvertent errors.

First, the most serious error in my posting: the solar eclipse was
not a "total" eclipse, it was about 54% at the point on the earth
where it was maximum. This was altered from an earlier rendition
after I misread a map drawn by my solar eclipse software. Having been
away from these things for well over a year, my memory failed me. I
spotted the error while using another program.

The other error is in the following paragraph:

> If, now, we return to the point at which the solar eclipse was
> centered, the sunrise circle of nine heavenly bodies that showed
> themselves around the central point of the solar eclipse also occurred
> at this moment of the Lunar Eclipse--in this instance, though, the
--------------
> Moon was on the horizon directly opposite that of the Sun at the
> moment of sunrise (whereas, during the solar eclipse they rose in
> the same place in the sky).

The sun did not rise there during the lunar eclipse (but, rather,
twelve hours later)--so the paragraph should read:

If, now, we return to the point at which the solar eclipse was
centered, the sunrise circle of nine heavenly bodies that showed
themselves around the central point of the solar eclipse also occurred
on this day of the Lunar Eclipse--in this instance, though, the
-----------
Moon was on the horizon directly opposite that of the Sun at the
moment of sunrise (whereas, during the solar eclipse they rose in
the same place in the sky).


If anyone else has spotted errors, please e-mail me so that I can
correct them.

Bye,

John Bromberek
johnb@sibylline.com